This is by far the best recipe for coconut cake that I have ever tasted. I started making this when I first became a manager at work. I took over managing a team that had a high percentage of turnover each year. I wanted to do something that would give people incentive to stay…and since you are reading this, you know that all roads lead to food. I came up with an idea – that I would bring in a baked good of the employees choice twice a year – once for their birthday, and once for their anniversary with the company. Early on I was asked to make a coconut cake, so I searched the web and looked for the recipe that sounded the most interesting. Based on my obsession with cream cheese frosting, this one was the clear winner. Needless to say, I made this coconut cake more than any other baked good – it was requested over and over again. I stopped doing this when I had my first child – my team was getting too big, and my time was wearing thin. Let me tell you though – it worked – I had very little turnover during my time managing that team. They were a happy bunch.
I found this recipe in Bon Appetit, and the ingredient that struck me was the Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut. This product makes the cake spectacular – it is in both the batter and the frosting. The cake is not overly sweet, but has an aroma and taste that is perfectly coconut. Because you fold egg whites into the batter, the cake is light and fluffy. The cream cheese frosting with the cream of coconut is decadent – and the combination with the cake is sinful. If you like coconut cake, there is no need to look any further than this recipe below.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)*
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Pinch of salt
Frosting
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups shredded coconut
*Canned sweetened cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets nationwide.
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into batter.
Divide cake batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.
Make the frosting. Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until fluffy. Add butter and beat to blend. Add sugar, sweetened cream of coconut and vanilla extract and beat until well blended.
Place 1 cake layer on cake plate. Spread 1 cup Cream Cheese Frosting over cake layer. Sprinkle 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut over. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle remaining coconut over cake, gently pressing into sides to adhere. (Coconut Layer Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.)
For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
First Look, Then Cook 